It has been a very long time since I was a teenager, but I got totally into the 2014 Teen Choice Awards last weekend. I spent my adolescent years taping posters of favorite heartthrobs to the green paneled walls of my bedroom. It was a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling tribute to Molly Ringwald, John Stamos, Rob Lowe, Tori Spelling — all torn from the pages of Teen Beat magazine which I subscribed to by mail.
So much has changed. Now, teens have access to social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, and with the help of entire channels devoted to 24/7 celebrity news, the print magazines I once kept in my vinyl Trapper Keeper are vintage relics, sort of like the Trapper Keepers, I guess. I’m betting my nieces wouldn’t even know what that term means without an app.
Meanwhile at the TCA show, young Hollywood stepped onto the blue carpet in some hip fashions. Taylor Swift, Shay Mitchell, Nina Dobrev, Jordin Sparks and Hilary Duff bared their midriffs with the trend of the season, the two-piece ensembles that had even the paparazzi blushing. Bella Thorne donned a bold floral from Candies by Johnny Wujek, and Lucy Hale wore a stunning red Christian Dior. Both stars glammed up the night wearing stunning all-eyes-on-me baby doll gowns.
I was mad about the mix of patterns from the Kardashians who paired animal prints with leather to “Begin Again” actress Hailee Steinfeld whose Elie Saab dress was so major with a genius mix of textures, colors and fabrics. Disney star Zendaya rocked a head-to-toe neon pink halter dress; Chloe Grace Moretz turned heads in a tiny Valentino tube top and short shorts; pop star Ariana Grande kept it sexy with a mod-inspired white dress complete with nude pumps.
Other stars revved up the evening with more traditional glamour such as Demi Lovato’s conservative approach in an ivory Elisabetta Franch gown. A black Saint Laurent lady tux well suited Selena Gomez, and Lea Michelle struck a pose in her color block Fausto Puglisi frock and Christian Louboutin sandals. Celebrity fashion stylist, Brad Goreski, dressed “Modern Family” star and co-host Sarah Hyland in a plunging, backless Marc Jacobs mini dress. Add a sleek ponytail, and hands down she was my favorite of the night.
The male heartthrobs I remember from my youth are now in their 40s and might still have some folks swooning, but last week a new generation of boys made teen hearts thump. Ian Somerhalder’s “no suit, no problem” vibe was jeans and a black t-shirt. Ansel Elgort was dapper in a blue leather bomber with grey plaid trousers, and the night’s co-host, Tyler Posey, was All-American cool in a silver suit jacket.
If you need any help interpreting this column, seek out the youngest members of your household. You’re sure to be “cool” just for having the conversation, but remember not to use that word.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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